Who is boss? Fairfax Media in branding stoush with Network Ten

Network Ten’s rebrand has triggered a trademark dispute with Fairfax Media, which raised objections that a logo lodged by the free-to-air network for multi-channel 10 Boss looked too similar to the newspaper publisher’s logo for BOSS magazine.

The CBS-owned television broadcaster revealed new branding at its annual upfronts event last week, with a new overall Ten logo launched alongside multichannels 10 Peach and 10 Boss to a crowd of advertisers and brands.

The change of the channels (formerly known as Eleven and One) marks the first major rebrand in over two decades and is part of a broader strategy shift from Ten under its US-owner, with chief executive Paul Anderson hoping to focus specifically on attracting a younger demographic.

Ten lodged logos for trade mark with the government on November 2, with the word ‘boss’ capitalised next to the new Ten logo of the number 10 in a red circle. One of the logos had a solidly coloured in "O", which television-focused website DeciderTV reported was a result of a complaint from Fairfax Media (owner of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review).

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The logo without the solid "O" was used on promotion material at the launch evening.

A third logo was lodged on November 5, which has the white capitalised wording entirely inside a red circle.

The AFR's BOSS magazine.

A source close to Ten confirmed Fairfax Media had taken issue with the broadcaster’s trademark, which was being worked through.

One of the 10 boss logos.

The Financial Review’s BOSS magazine was launched in March 2000 and is a monthly insert in a Friday edition of the newspaper. Its logo has all-capital wording. The publication's readers are predominantly men working in managerial and professional jobs with a household income above $120,000.

A Fairfax Media spokesman said: "BOSS is a trade mark of Fairfax’s and we take our intellectual property rights seriously".

Ten's 10 Boss is pitched as targeting men and women over 40, with programs including Madam Secretary, A-League, Law & Order: SVU and NCIS, while 10 Peach is geared towards 16 to 39 year olds with shows like Neighbours, Posh Shop Frock, Stage Mums, Sex and The City and Two And A Half Men.

Branding agency Principals was behind the re-launch of the Ten brand, and describes the network as "reigniting its once famous larrikin personality" with a "new identity system" reflecting the broadcaster's ambition to lead"escapist entertainment ... through a bold new mark and mischievous language".